The presence of Mycobacterium leprae in wild rodents

• Autor(a) principal: Lima, Maxwell Furtado de
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Silvestre, Maria do Perpetuo Socorro Amador, Santos, Everaldina Cordeiro dos, Martins, Lívia Caricio, Quaresma, Juarez Antônio Simões, Barros, Bruno de Cássio Veloso de, Silva, Marcos Jessé Abrahão, Lima, Luana Nepomuceno Gondim Costa
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Digital do Instituto Evandro Chagas (Patuá)
• Texto Completo: https://patua.iec.gov.br/handle/iec/4589
• topic: Hanseníase; Mycobacterium leprae / patogenicidade; Animais Selvagens; Reservatórios de Doenças / veterinária; Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase / métodos; Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimática / métodos; Curionópolis (PA); Canaã dos Carajás (PA)

Leprosy is a chronic infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae. There is a lack of data regarding environmental reservoirs, which may represent a serious public health problem in Brazil, especially in the state of Pará, which occupies the fourth position in incidence of cases in the country. Previous studies report evidence of infection occurring among armadillos, mangabei monkeys, and chimpanzees. In the present study, wild animals were captured and tested for the presence of antiPGL-1 antibodies and M. leprae DNA. Fieldwork was carried out from October to November of 2016 in the cities of Curionópolis and Canaã dos Carajás, southeast of Pará state. Small and medium-sized wild animals were captured using appropriate traps. A total of 15 animals were captured. Sera and viscera fragments were collected and tested by ELISA and PCR methods. The presence of M. leprae DNA was confirmed by sequencing of specific gyrase gene in three animals of two different species, including one Necromys lasiurus (liver sample) and two Proechimys roberti (kidney and liver samples). This unprecedented finding suggests that species other than those previously reported are responsible for maintaining M. leprae in nature.